Giorgia Meloni on Palestine

Giorgia Meloni has articulated a conditional stance on the recognition of a Palestinian state, tying this significant diplomatic step to specific prerequisites concerning the current conflict. She has publicly stated that Italy will not support recognizing Palestine unless two primary conditions are met: all Israeli hostages are released, and the militant group Hamas is excluded from any governing role in the future Palestinian entity. This position was announced while she was attending the United Nations General Assembly. She has argued that international pressure should be focused on Hamas, which she blames for initiating the war and blocking its conclusion by holding hostages, rather than solely on Israel.

Despite her government's firm stance, Meloni’s position has drawn significant domestic backlash, leading to widespread national strikes and protests against her perceived alignment with Israel. On the international front, her stance contrasts with several other Western nations that have moved to recognize a Palestinian state. Furthermore, she has faced accusations of complicity in genocide at the International Criminal Court over Italy's role in supplying lethal weapons to Israel, accusations she has publicly acknowledged. Concurrently, Meloni has reaffirmed Italy's support for the Palestinian Authority's reform program and the two-state solution, provided the foundational security and political conditions are met.